The Old Man and The Older Woman
by Soulstealer8
Summary: Future fic. Based on the story opening Sebastian told Ciel in episode21. Set after the series. Now that Ciel has completed his goal and his soul is no longer obtainable he decides to spend the day trying to solve the one mystery he never bothered to solve. Who is Sebastian Michaelis? Not a slash. T for some violence. First story In Kuroshitsuji archive. An *SS8* Story. R&R. *


A/N: Hello everyone. I am the Soulstealer8. This is my first time in the Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler) archive and I'm going to say the same thing I say about every first story. Don't go easy on me give me your best shot with commenting. This story is set after the series part 2, I watched the behind the scenes ova and damn! I wish they added in some of those parts in the anime, not all of them but you know they had something going there and they only made part 2 12 episodes :( now I'm stuck with just the manga. However I did love the anime. Please enjoy and comment. (I don't right slash, sorry guys.)

Story inspired by what Sebastian said in episode 21 though.

_Italics: Thoughts, Sebastian narration, dramatic effect._

**Bold: Story quotes (not part of narration)**

**Bold/**_**Italics: Emphasis or dramatic effect.**_

The Old Man and The Older Woman

"_**Once Upon a time in a land far away, there lived an old man and an even older woman."**_

"_What was he talking about?_"

It was a long time since Sebastian had told him that. Obviously he only said it to test if the young master was actually listening to him. So why did it suddenly linger in his mind? What made it sound so important all of a sudden? Ciel thought this as his butler dressed him in his new room of their new estate. Ciel had decided the underworld was becoming too much of a drag for him and decided that they return to Earth soil for sometime. Upon returning Ciel was surprised to see how so much time had actually passed. They were no longer in what is now labeled as the Victorian era, but now in thw twenty-first century, year 2009. Wars called World War I and World War II had passed. Ciel wasn't sure how he felt about those two wars especially after studying so much into them. It seemed that even without the queen and Ashe or Angela, the world managed to plunge itself into war by itself.

"_Oh well… at least I got my revenge._" Ciel thought to himself. As he now rode in a modern styled vehicle through the streets of… well, quite frankly, Ciel wasn't quite sure where he was. They weren't driving on the left side of the road.

"What do you wish to do now that we've returned to Earth soil my lord?" Sebastian inquired. Ciel faced away from the window and saw the back of Sebastian's head from the back seat as he drove the black vehicle.

"I don't know." Ciel said. "I guess, after returning, I just want to see how much the world has changed. Ciel said returning to face the water streaked window, splashed with rain water.

"Hmm… that seems a little unlike you young master." Sebastian said.

"The world's really changed." Ciel said. "You can't really blame me for being curious."

"No, I guess I can't my lord." Sebastian said. "Were you disappointed to find that everyone you once knew are gone?" Ciel didn't answer. He watched as they passed the country side roads and entered a small town, leading up to a much grander looking city, full of buildings and lights shining brightly in balls or streams of light. It was a grey day so surely many city lights would be shining partially bright.

"I guess lanterns and candles are in the past now." Ciel said.

"It would seem so my lord," Sebastian let out a sigh, "yet another thing I can mark off the list of things I can no longer have use for as a butler. I didn't hate carrying around the candles back in the –"

"Don't say it!" Ciel hissed. Since returning, the words _Phantomhive Manor, _had become a forbidden term for Sebastian. It's as though Ciel wishes to rid the world of the name and existence of the Phantomhives. Funny, Sebastian was sure when they returned that maybe someone, perhaps the Midfords, or maybe Prince Soma, even the Viscount of Druitt or the Italian man they nearly killed, would have had something in keeping the company standing, even if they did almost kill the Italian representative. It turned out after Lord Ciel Phantomhive's _"death"_ the company had gone bankrupt and shattered. Phantomhive manor had been abandoned and uncared for. It was on the break of falling apart soon. Sebastian was almost sure the manor would become a museum in honor of the queen's guard dog. He guessed that bit of history will forever remain a secret or a legend to the world.

"Stop here." Ciel said. Sebastian parked the car at a sidewalk beside a café.

"What is it young master?"

"I want to know if I still have control over my taste buds." Ciel said.

"Young master, by this point I don't believe your demon taste buds are functional enough to taste human food the way you used to." Sebastian said.

"Lets go." Ciel said. Sebastian sighed as he exited the car and walked over to open the door for Ciel. Ciel exited in his new modern attire. Twenty-first century clothing is very different from that of the nineteenth century. Ciel was clad in black skinny jeans, a pair of grey shoes with black laces, they were called vans, a black hoodie to cover himself from the rain, and underneath a plain white shirt. Ciel still wore his classic eye patch. He was a bit worried people of the modern day and age were going to give him funny looks about it, but no one seemed to care. One progressive thing about the twenty-first century he's noticed so far is that crime rate had lowered and finding dead people on the streets is no longer a very common thing. Ciel looked over at Sebastian who was now clad in a long black leather jacket, long black work pants, and a dark grey dress shirt underneath with a black tie. Ciel looked over at the café infront of them and pointed at the sign.

"I want to buy something from there." Ciel said. Sebastian read the name.

"Starbucks? Why here young master?" Sebastian asked.

"It's new I want to give it a try," he looked over at Sebastian, "is that a problem?" Sebastian gave him gave him his usual kind smile and hand over his heart gesture and said, "No it isn't my lord." The two walked in. it was rather full, there were very few secluded areas. The place was comfortably decorated with tables and furniture. There was a menu attached to a wall behind a counter where an employee was standing. The two observed the menu until Ciel walked over to the employee.

"Found something to your interest my lord?" Sebastian asked quietly in order not to disrupt the peace in the room (ironic for a demon huh?).

"Good afternoon sir. My a take your order?" The employee said kindly once the Ciel walked towards her.

"Yes, I'd like to try one of your iced coffees and a few blueberry scones." Ciel said.

"Sure thing." The woman said.

"_Vocabulary's changed too." _Ciel thought. Ciel leaned against the counter waiting for his order once the woman left. He noticed as she walked away she was wearing pants. Ciel turned his head around slightly and noticed all the female residents in the café were wearing pants along with men. He couldn't help but feel some of the clothes resembled a bit of what he was wearing. Very few teenagers were wearing shoes similar to his own.

"_What's gotten into women in this century?_ _God, I hope Sebastian bought my clothes off the right wracks._" The woman returned with his order, Ciel thanked her, paid, and received it. Sebastian had already chosen a table to sit at. Ciel set his order down and sat in the seat infront of Sebastian. Sebastian looked at the scones almost approvingly and the peculiar drink. He tilted his head to get a better view of it.

"Pardon me sir, but I can't help but inquire… is that ice in the drink?" Sebastian asked.

"Well the drink is called iced coffee Sebastian." Ciel said as he took a bite out of a scone. Sebastian smirked, "Are those as good as the ones I make?"

"Nothing really compares to your food Sebastian."Ciel said as he took another bite, "though it is rather tasty." Ciel smiled realizing he can still eat and taste human food.

"Was that a compliment my lord?" Sebastian asked.

"Yes. So?" Ciel asked. Sebastian gave his closed eye smile. "Why are you just sitting there?" Sebastian looked towards Ciel in perplex.

"What ever do you mean sir?"

"Why don't you go and order something for yourself?" Ciel asked. Sebastian's look grew even more confused.

"My lord. I can no longer taste human food." Sebastian said. At that Ciel looked up at him and smirked.

"What is it sir?" Sebastian asked. Ciel said this with his smirk still intact.

"You said _'no longer'._ That means my thoughts were true. You did used to be a human at some point huh?" Ciel said, a hint of victory lacing his voice. Sebastian's eyes widened.

"Actually, no my lord, I never have been a human." Sebastian said. Ciel's eyes widened.

"You never lie." Ciel said. Sebastian nodded his head once.

"Never to you my lord." Sebastian said.

"So, how was it possible for you to be able to do so then?" Ciel inquired.

"Why the sudden interest in that my lord?" Sebastian asked.

_**Once Upon a time in a land far away, there lived an old man and an even older woman...**_

"_What is it with that line?" _Ciel thought.

"Well now that I've completed my goal and you are now forever bound to me as my butler I'd might as well finally learn a few things about the demon who raised me since I was ten years old."

"Raised?" Sebastian asked. Ciel caught himself and blushed at his mistake.

"Well, you are the one who spent the most time around me most of my life both undead and alive." Ciel said. Ciel noticed Sebastian's brows furrow down a bit.

"Did I say something offensive?" Ciel asked nonchalantly.

"No young master." Sebastian said.

"Have you ever tasted your own cooking?" Ciel couldn't help but ask. If he'd never tried them how did Sebastian know it was edible for him or not?

"Every now and then I did, though I was never really quite sure of how it tasted. I always had to hope for the best. I couldn't bring myself to keep the young master waiting for his supper. I will never forget all those times when you literally threw the food all over my face for it never tasting right. After all what kind of Phantomhive Butler would I be if I never prepared my master's meals on time?" Ciel looked at him surprised. He knew he used his last name but didn't have the nerve to scold him for it right this second. He was about to say something when Sebastian cut him off, "Forgive me young master, I've just used your other name."

"It's alright." Ciel said, "Just don't ever do it again."

"Yes my lord." Sebastian said. :Besides, now that I think about it, I think the only reason why my food had gotten better and more edible because you ordered me to make it better. Did you not?" Sebastian asked.

"I… don't remember." Ciel answered honestly.

"I see." Sebastian said. Sebastian looked at the time in his antique watch.

"It's getting rather late. Should we return to the estate young master?" Sebastian asked. Ciel got up along with Sebastian. Ciel threw out his empty beverage, the bag of empty scones, and napkins.

Once the Black vehicle parked in front of the estate some time later in a different city Sebastian and Ciel entered the temporary home. The estate was vast and exquisite, quite suitable for and 1800's earl. But for some reason Ciel couldn't help something was missing.

"_Every time I step foot in the bottom floor I expect to hear the sounds of falling trees outside, an exploding kitchen, half man half human barking, a screaming maid, the occasional high pitched or Indian accented Ciiieeeelll!, or even jingle, jingle, and ho, ho. But all that's gone now…"_

Ciel's head faced down, his eyes shadowed by his hair.

"Young master? Is everything alright?" Sebastian asked.

"Take me to my room." Ciel ordered not facing up. Sebastian walked up to him removing the hoodie from his master and placing it on the coatrack in front of the door. Sebastian picked Ciel up like he normally did and carried him off to his room. He changed him to his sleepwear and gracefully pulled the covers over his master's small body. Sebastian was about to switch off the lamp on the bed side table when Ciel spoke up.

"Wait." Sebastian's fingers paused from switching the lamp off.

"Yes my young lord.

"Tell me a story, so that I can fall asleep." Ciel said. he was lying on his back facing up. Sebastian sighed. He walked over to the bookshelf ready to pick up a random book, secretly hoping for Alice in Wonderland when Ciel spoke up again.

"No, I'll choose it, you'll have to tell me it orally." Ciel said. Sebastian raised a brow at that. The young master had most certainly been acting strange today. Sebastian sat in the chair ready to hear Ciel's choice of story.

"Alright which, will it be young master?" Ciel asked. Ciel thought about it for a moment.

"The one about the old man and the older woman," Ciel said. Sebastian 's eyes widened.

"How do you know about that story young master? I don't recall ever telling it to you?" Sebastian asked.

"You mentioned it once after Aberline's death. For some reason I couldn't get it out of my head all day." Ciel said.

"Are you sure you want that one?" Sebastian asked.

"Yes." Ciel stated bluntly. Sebastian sighed, Very well then." Sebastian let out a sigh and began,

"_Once Upon a time in a land far away, there lived an old man and an even older woman. _

_The two had met in a dark corner of the forest and became enthralled with each other, but forbidden to be together. You see there was a reason why the woman was much older than the man. She was in fact thousands of years older than him. She was a witch who disgraced her kind for developing feelings of love for the old man. A truly forbidden emotion for all undead creatures everywhere, however the small farming town they resided in never caught wind of the woman's magic._" Sebastian paused for a moment. Ciel watched him think carefully, Sebastian looked as though he didn't want to continue this story, but because he was ordered to, he must. "_That was until the witch bared her first and only child, a son. He was a good young boy. He helped his family with the farm, helped the whole town even in every way possible. The town was poor, so the best they could repay the boy with was with homemade food for him to take home to his family. However one fateful day the boy found himself throwing a tantrum. He'd been exhausted, people were needing his assistance left to right, hardly bothering to do their own chores nor to think of how exhausted the young boy was. The few days in between before his tantrum people were calling him up for help. And he realized every time he made a mistake with their work he would get smacked, or beaten up a bit if he didn't do anything exactly the way he was told. Every time he returned home his mother and father would demand to know why he looked like a horse trampled over him. The boy had become a liar, always coming up with excuses that he was being a klutz and would becoming wounded in the aftermath. His parents knew better though. It wasn't until the very day when the young boy was assisting at an elderly man's farm. The boy hadn't gotten much sleep the night before due to his body aching from the physical abuse. He was washing dishes and accidently found himself shattering plate after plate. The man was outraged. The china was proud possessions of his late wife. The boy found himself leaning over the sink coughing up blood from a previous wound. He was then grabbed by the wrist and dragged into the woods by the man. Other farmers came up to them to ask what he'd done now? The elderly man explained and other farmers were beginning to show up outraged of what the boy had done to their farms aswell. Once reaching the woods a whip began slashing into the young boy. The boy screamed from pain. Loud blood curdling screams. Unaware to him his mother heard them and her anger over took her. her eyes glowed red and she stormed out of the house. The father was away for a while leaving only the witch and their hybrid son that day._

_In the woods where the boy was being tortured he shouted at the few farmers that were there,_ "**Stop it!**"

"_The boy was beginning to grow angry his eyes began glowing red from the inherited power from his mother. A dark aura had surrounded the boy as he looked at all the people who were too lazy to do their own work, yet not lazy enough to go all the way into the woods to try and beat the boy senseless. The dark power manifested in himself and released a great deal of dark power upon the farmers. the boy roared out his anger as one by one the farmers were dying in his hands. The aura destroyed the nature around him. Crashes, roars, and the sound of heavy wind deafened the boys ears for the moment. The tantrum could be seen and heard from above the trees all the way to the town. Afterwards the boy collapsed to his knees, the power taking a good deal of energy from him. he took several heaves of breath before looking up to see what he'd done. All the farmers were lying on the ground with their eyes taken out of their sockets. All their color from, skin and hair was removed from them. There hair was now like dried mops, there skin a ghostly white and wrinkled like an over dried towel. The boy gapped at what he'd done. He spent a moment looking around until finding his mother leaning against a tree. Arms folded. Her eyes stared directly at him. Both his parents were old, but for some reason his mother looked like a young woman with beginning wrinkles and long white wavy hair going down to her back. She was dressed in a black dress."_

"**Mother!**"

"_The boy called to her, his voice quivering in fear."_

"**I-I don't know what happened. I swear, I didn't mean to do it!**"

"_The old woman stood herself straight and walked up to her son. She knelt in front of her son and placed her slender hands over his shoulders."_

"**My son. I know you don't know what happened exactly, but don't lie to me and tell me you didn't mean to do it. We both know you wanted to, so you did.**"

"_The old woman knew her son was lying when he'd told her hadn't meant to kill the farmers. Though it was true he had no knowledge as to what he'd done. _

"**Mother what did I do?**"

:_The boy asked what had he done still a bit shell shocked at this sudden power he never knew he had."_

"**I granted your wish.**"

"_The boy looked at his mother in shock confusion. How could she possibly grant a wish? He wondered"_

"**I heard it in you. You wanted them dead, you wanted them to suffer. So I gave you the power to do so. You see my son… …**"

"_His mother seemed to hesitate as she told him the truth of her existence."_

"**I am a witch. When an undead creature mates with a human it's nearly impossible to tell what kind of undead creature the child would be born as. You just so happened to have been born a demon**."

"_The boy learning what he and his mother truly are shocked him to know end. He didn't want to believe it."_

"**A de-demon? I don't understand I'm a good person aren't I!**"

"_The boy cried his question in fear."_

"**Yes my son. But because you are your human father's son you inherited his kindness, his good nature, but no matter how good you are you'll never see the light of heaven. You bare a sadistic evil inside you that will manifest as you age. You must learn how to control your new abilities, your diet will change. Things are going to be different for you from** **now on**. **I'll guide you my son. A demon's job is to serve. All these years you worked for the town was your training. You were being taught patience. You must learn to control it. You can't kill your masters simply because they beat you or infuriate you. Don't expect me to do this for you again. You must remain loyal.**"

"_As his mother explained all that the boy wasn't sure how he felt. There was rustling coming from the woods. The old woman stood and watched as the old man, the boy's father appear from in between the trees."_

"**You're back.**"

"_The older woman acknowledged the old man's presence as the boy on the ground remained shell shocked learning everything about his true nature."_

"**What happened here?**"

"_The old man with the greying black hair asked what had happened while he was away. The older woman explained everything to him._

"**The other farmers are beginning to get suspicious we must go.**"

"_The old man warned them of an attack the town's people were about to commit. The old man lifted his son in his arms and the two, son in arms tried to make a run for it. The boy watched as the dead corpses disappeared from sight. Once making it to another secluded part in the forest it appeared that the villagers thought ahead. A mob of villagers surrounded them. The people in front of the crowd were elders whom knew of an undead being's power. They pointed at the family. suddenly a large plank was placed standing up in front of the family. The old man held his son protectively in his arms. Even the boy now a demon had the look of fear edged in his eyes, the old man and the older woman as well. _

"**Mother, father, we must leave. Mother use your magic to get us out of here.**"

"_The boy whispered to his mother for an escape. But she could not think of anything. One of the elders walked up and announced the death penalty for the family."_

"**This family is accounted for evil acts, harboring a witch and baring a demonic son. Penalty is to burn the evil and the guilty man at the stake.**"

"_The family was shell shocked at the sound of the penalty. The mob began crowding in on them, separating them from the other. The old man fought hard to keep his son in his arms. The old man received a heavy blow to the head with a club and dropped his son to the ground._

"**Mother! Father!**"

"_The boy screamed for his beloved parents as he was jerked up from the ground by another angry man. The boy wanted to use his powers but they were out of his control. His emotions were clouded in his head. When he'd killed the farmers earlier all he felt was anger. Now he was shocked, confused, scared, angry, and sad. He couldn't focus. He watched as his struggling parents escape the mob of people. He watched as they were tied with chains. The man grabbing the boy threw him at another man. As the boy was being dragged he struggled. Struggled with so much fierce and strength as he could. After much effort in struggling the boys found his clothes were covered in blood. Blood of the man who had been dragging him moments before. The boy looked up in shock and the mob went silent, even his parents had gone speechless at the the sight before them. The boy had torn the man's arms off. The man went to limp to the ground and began screaming in agony. The boy watched in shock at what he's done yet again. He felt himself holding something. He looked down and found his hands were holding two hands on the ground. His eyes averted more up and saw arms lying flat on the ground. He realized in shock what he was holding were the severed arms of the man. The boy screamed dropping the arms in front of him and backed away. After a tense moment his parents regained common sense once again."_

"**Run my son!**"

"_The old man shouted at the boy to run. The boy looked at his chained parents in shock."_

"**Run!**"

"_The older woman let out a blood curdling scream begging her son to run away. The mob heard this and turned to them in anger. The man's agonizing screams can be heard in the background. The mob started shouting at them to quiet them. They continued to scream at their shell shocked son to run away. The mob finally decided to quiet the two down for good as one through a lit torch at the would beneath them. The old man and the older woman screamed no, and the boy watched as his parents were burnded at the stake. He could hear their screaming and caught sight of his mother's magic disappearing like a purple and green gas into the air. He watched as the fire showed dark shadows of the bodies burning. Several of the mob participators tried grabbing the boy to throw him into the fire. Until the boy remembered what his parents had told him. He desperately lifted himself up and ran, having no other choice but to leave his parents bodies behind. He found himself running at a high speed faster than normal. After running for quite some time, the boy found himself truly alone in the middle of nowhere. No guidance to help with his new demonic change. He'll have to learn on his own. Or hopefully find another demon who'd be willing to help him. After three years he sensed something. He smeledl something from a distance. It smelled delicious, irresistible for some reason. He stood and followed the sent. There the young boy found himself face to face with his first master, like what his mother had told him. he soon realized the irresistible sent was coming from inside the human who summoned him. whatever was in there he had the urge to eat. He thought he was going cannibal, until remembering he never truly was human. He realized this was what his mother meant by his diet changing. The taste of human food no longer allured him. what he wanted was the soul of this being whom summoned him."_

"**I live to serve now. To serve **_**you**_** now. What is your wish master?**"

"_The boy then came to accept his fate as a demon and lived to serve in exchange for souls. He developed a new demonic form and learned how to be a demon butler on his own. _

_Once upon a time in a land far away, there lived old man and an even older woman whom were forbidden to be together, forbidden to have children, in the end it destroyed them both and separated their family. Now the boy, a man now, lives on without them living the life his witch mother had told him of, with the personality of his human father to keep him sane. And that my young lord, is the story of The Old man and The Older Woman."_

Once Sebastian had finished he noticed the young master had yet to fall asleep. Ciel was looking at him with half lidded eyes. The boy obviously tried keeping himself awake to hear the whole story.

"Quite the interesting story." Ciel said. "How did you manage to come up with something like that?"

"I didn't make it up my lord and you should be asleep." Sebastian said getting up about to leave. Ciel had a question plaguing his mind.

"Wait… the young boy… how old was he?" Ciel asked. Sebastian looked at him unsurprised by the question.

"He was ten years of age young master." Sebastian answered. Ciel's eyes widened just a bit.

"Were you the boy?" Ciel asked.

"I am simply, just one hell of a butler my lord." It was an honest answer of who Sebastian is but not a direct yes or no answer to the question. Sebastian tucked the covers for Ciel hoping against hope Ciel would sleep soon.

"Good night young master. Have pleasant dreams." Sebastian said this as he bowed and turned off the lamp before exiting the room. To have pleasant dreams had become a usual thing for Sebastian to say these days for some reason, Ciel may never know why.

As the door shut, Ciel was amazed at the similarities "_the boy_" and himself had, though in a more opposite way. If the boy really was Sebastian it all made sense now, why Sebastian had at one point been so eager to gain his soul. It was perhaps because they were compatible to the other. That must've been the case. _Maybe regaining something he had lost?_ Ciel may never have a solid answer from Sebastian about anything. His story was enough to understand Sebastian a bit better, why he's so loyal, kind, good natured. The Old Man and the Older Woman are probably… hopefully, the cause of that. This must be Sebastian's way of honoring them in his undead and enslaved state, by serving him. Like how Ciel used revenge the "evil nobles way" to honor his parents. Ciel smiled as he found himself drifting off to sleep.

Within the dark halls of the new manor Sebastian frowned as his face averted towards the floor at a sudden stop in front ofd a mirror hanging on a wall. He looked at himself, he faced down, his eyes shadowed in remorse.

"It's been so long…"

A/N: Thank you for reading.**:)**

_**Sincerely, **_

_***SS8***_


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